Hot n' Sweet Roman Treats : Aliter Dulcia

 

When I was 13 years old I started to study latin.  Being a history geek I loved the subject even if my teacher seemed as old as the language itself. I loved imaginging myself in some far off distant past as celtic warrior or a student to some famous philosopher. But history has always been more exiting to me when it becomes real, palpable, edible! Indeed one of my most vibrant memories of this class is of the time when a friends of mine made a roman dessert and brought it to class to share with us. They were a kind of fritter drenched in honey and pepper. The pepper totally countered any nauseating feeling too much honey could have caused.

It was combo of those two flavors really opened my young mind to the posiblities of cooking. It seems odd that I've waited nearly 15 years to try the recipe. Well, not quite the same one, a mix of two different roman desserts with of course a dash of my own imagination.

Pepper syrop:

2 cups of Water

1 cup sugar

2 tbs mixed peppers : black pepper, long pepper, tailed pepper, jamaican chilli pepper, maniguette, séchouan pepper

Bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar and the spices. Cook down to a nice thick syrop. When cool pour into a jar. This keeps for quite some time in the refrigerator.

1 cup polenta

1/2 grounded almonds

1/2 grounded hazelnuts

3 tea baking powder

1/4 tea salt

4 tbs vanilla sugar

1 cup warm water

3 tbs powdered milk

3 tbs sunflower oil

Mix the six first ingredients together in a bowl.
Disolve the powdered milk into the water ( If you have milk you can use it instead of these two ingredients).
Add the oil.
Pour the liquide into the dry mixture.
Stir vigourously until the two are well combined.
Let stand for about 15 min. Start to heat up oil in a deep pan to fry the alter dulcia in.
Shape the dough into 1" diameter balls.

Gently slip 5 or 6 into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown.

Once cooked place on some paper towels to absorbe the extra oil.

 

Procede the same way until all the treats are cooked.

 

Serve immediatly or you can also put them aside and reheat them quickly in a very hot oven before serving. Finish by topping the hot fritters with the pepper syrop.

En Français...

 

J'ai commencé à étudier le latin quand j'avais 13 ans. Etant une geekette pour l'histoire j'ai adoré le sujet malgré un prof qui semblait aussi poussiéreux que la langue. J'aimais à m'imaginer dans quel passé lointain comme une guerrière celtique ou encore disciple de quelque grand philosophe. Cependant l'histoire m'a toujours paru plus passionnant quand il était plus réel, plus palpable, plus comestible! En effet un de mes plus vif souvenirs de ce cours fut la fois ou une camarade de classe avait fait un dessert romain et  l'avait amener en cours pour nous le faire découvrir. C'était un genre de beignet couvert de miel et de poivre! Le poivre contrecarrait superbement le côté écoeurant du miel.

C'est la combinaison de ces deux saveurs qui à ouvert mon esprit aux possibilité qu'offre la cuisine. Cela me semble étrange que j'ai attendu presque 15 ans pour tenter cette recette. Enfin pas toute à fait le même, un mélange entre deux différents desserts romain et une touche personnelle, évidement. 

Sirop aux poivres:

2 tasses d'eau

1 tasse de sucre

2 cs de poivres moulues: poivre noir, poivre long, piment de Jamaïque, maniguette, poivre à queue, poivre de séchouan.

Faites bouillir l'eau. Ajouter le sucre et les épices. Réduire jusqu'à obtenir un sirop épais. Une fois refroidi verser dans un bocal en verre. Ce sirop se conserve assez longtemps au frigo.

Beignets Aliter Dulcia:

1 tasse de polenta

1/2 t d'amande en poudre

1/2 t de noisettes en poudre

3 cc de levure chimique

1/4 cc de sel

4 cs de sucre vanillé

1 t d'eau chaude

3 cs de lait en poudre

3 cs d'huile de tournesol

Mélanger les premiers six ingrédients dans un bol.
Dissoudre le lait en poudre dans l'eau chaude. (Si vous avez du lait vous pouvez l'utiliser au lieu de l'eau et le lait en poudre)
Ajouter l'huile.
Verser  le liquide dans le mélange sec. Mélanger vigoureusement jusqu'à obtenir une pâte homogène.
Laisser reposer un quart d'heure.
Faite chauffer l'huile à frire.
Former des boules de 2,5cm de diamètre.
Délicatement introduisez-en 5-6 dans huile chaude. Cuire jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient dorées. Faites en de mêmes avec les autres.
Une fois cuites déposer les sur du papier absorbant pour enlever l'excédant d'huile.
Vous pouvez soit les servir immédiatement ou encore les réchauffer plus tard dans un four très chaud pendant 5min.
Avant de servir napper d'un peu de sirop aux poivres

 

 

 

Ugly but delicious heart tarts

Crust:

4 ts whole wheat flour

2 ts vanilla sugar

2 ts  oatmeal

5 ts gounded hazelnuts

4 ts sunflowerseed oil

a pinch of salt

Mix all of the ingredients listed above.

Butter the mini tart pans.

Divide the mixture up between the 4 pans and press it down.

Pre-bake the crust for about 10min at 210°C

Filling:

4 ts of rasberry and plum jam

2 ts of grounded hazelnuts

1 egg

Mix this up and then spoon it into the crusts.

Bake for 15min at 210°C

Sour Cream Glaze:

4 ts of sour cream

1 tea of vanilla

1 ts of vanilla sugar

Mix and the spread this on the tarts.

Bake for the last 5 min (I baked this gaze for 10min and that dried it out at bit too much)

 

 

Hideuses mais délicieuses tartelettes...

Appareil à Tarte à la noisette:

4 cs farine complète

2 cs sucre vanillé

2 cs  flocons d'avoine

5 cs poudre de noisettes

4 cs huile de tournesol

Mélanger tous les ingrédients énumérés au dessus.

Beurrer les tartelettes.

Diviser le mélange dans les quatre petits plats. Tapoter au fond des moules.

Pré-cuire pour environ 10min à 210°C

Filling:

4 cs de confiture de framboise et de prune

2 cs poudre de noisettes

1 oeuf

Mélanger tout cela et en remplir les tartelettes.

Cuire pour 15min à 210°C.

Glaçage à la crème fraiche:

4 cs de crème fraiche

1 cc d'essence de vanille

1 cs de sucre vanillé

Mélangez et étalez sur les tartelettes.

Cuire pour les derniers 5 min.

(Je l'ai cuit 10min et c'était un peu trop, cela à séché un peu trop le glaçage)

 

Cinnamon buns at last!

I've adored cinnamon buns for time unmemorable, those ooey- gooey snails that are always a bit too much. Since we can't find any here in france I've been planning for quite some time to make them but I never  seemed to be able to get around to it. Well I did at last and I wasn't disapointed! 

I used Nigella Lawson's recipe for Schnecken from How to be a domestic Goddess (I highly recomend this book). I had to make a few modifications due to the absence of certain ingrediants in my pantry.

The Dough :

First  put 2 sachets of yeast to rise in a little warm milk with a tea of sugar. When the yeast starts to bubble add 150 ml milk, 75g melted butter and 2 eggs. Beat until well blended.

In another bowl  combine 500g of white flour, 50g of sugar and 1/2 tea salt.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly, then knead for 10 full minutes. When the dough is springy and satiny, form a ball, put into an oiled bowl and cover. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

The Syrup :

Beat with an electric mixer 125g unsalted butter until smooth. Then still beating add 2 tbs unrefined brown sugar, 4 tbs of maple syrup, 1 tbs molasses add 2 tbs of honey. Pour into the bottom of your baking dish. Top with chopped walnuts or pecans.

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

When the dough is ready knead it down a bit and roll out to a large rectangle (60 x 30 cm). Beat 1 egg and 2 tbs milk . Glaze the dough with a pastry brush (I forgot this step).

The Filling :

Mix 50g of vanilla flavored sugar with 100g of unrefined brown sugar and 1 tbs of cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture onto the dough.

The Baking :

Now carefully roll into a sausage.

Cut into 12 even slices and lie each slice swirly side up into the baking dish on top of the syrup and nuts. Leave to rise once again until nice and puffy (about 20min).

Bake for 20-25 min.

They should be " crisp in parts, voluptuously gooey in others". Place a baking sheet on top and turn the whole thing upside down. BE CAREFULL!  The hot syrup should drizzel down the swirls as a finishing touch to this baking perfecion! Leave to cool or not ! :)

En français...

La Pâte :

Mettre deux sachets de levure boulangère dans un bol avec un peu de lait tiède et une cuillère à café de sucre. Mélanger et laisser reposer 10min. Quand la levure commence à faire des bulles ajouter 150ml de lait, 75g de beurre fondu et deux oeufs. Bien mélanger.

Dans un autre bol mélanger 500g de farine, 1/2 cuillère à café de sel et 50 g de sucre.

Incorporer lentement les oeufs à la farine. Pétrir pendant 10 bonnes minutes. Quand la pâte est élastique et satinée, former une boule et placer-la dans un bol huilé et recouvrir d'un torchon propre. Laisser lever pendant une heure ou jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait doublé de taille.

Le Sirop :

Battre 125g de beurre doux jusqu'à il soit lisse. Incorporer 4 cuillères à soupe de sirop d'érable, 1 CS de mélasse, 2 CS de miel et 2 CS de rapadura.
Verser dans le plat et parsemer de noix ou de noix de pecan concassées.

Préchauffer le four à 180°C.

Quand la pâte est prête retourner le bol sur votre planche de travail, pétrisser la un peu puis étaler pour former un rectangle d'environ 60 x 30 cm. Fouetter 1 oeuf et 2 CS de lait et glacer la pâte de ce mélange. ( J'ai oublié cette étape, zut!)

La Garniture :

Faites un mélange de 50g de sucre vanillé, 150g de rapadura et 1CS de cannelle. Parsemez-en la pâte.

La Cuisson :

Rouler délicatement la pâte pour former une saucisse. Couper en 12 parts égales et placer chaque portion, spirale vers le haut sur le sirop et les noix. Couvire et laisser de nouveau lever la pâte pour environ 20min.

Enfourner et cuire pour 20-25min.

Ils devraient être "croustillants par endroits et voluptueusement sirupeux par d'autres". 
Placer une plaque à biscuits sur le plat et renverser le sur l'envers. Dégager délicatement le plat, le sirop du fond devrait maintenant être entrain de s'écouler langoureusement le long des spirales.
Laisser refroidir...ou pas! :)

 

Floating tarts

Theses were inspired by the traditional french recipe "îles flottantes"

Crust:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 grounded nuts
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3 tbs sugar
1/4 tea salt
3 tbs cocoa
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Mix up all the ingredients by hand and pat the dough into pre-greased pans. Bake for about 15 min.

Custard:
1/2 l milk
3 tbs sugar
1 tbs maïzena
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tea orange blossum extract
Put the milk in apan to heat slowly. Whisk the yolks and the sugar until the mixture whitens, add the maïzena. Poor a little of the warm milk into the mixture. Transfer back into the pan, stiring continuously. Add the extract. when the mixture makes thick bubbles set aside to cool.

Islands:
3 egg whites
2 tbs powdered sugar
1 tea orange blossum extract
Mix the sugar and the extract into the egg whites the beat them until they are stiff and dry. Spoon out portions on to a plate and cook for 30 sec in the microwave set on high.

Fill the crusts with custard, place an island on top and sprinkle with some toasted slivered almonds

Pavlova

Meringue Cake:
4 large (120 grams) egg whites
1 cup (200 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)

Preheat the oven to 130°C. Whip the egg whites until stiff and dry. While whipping add the sugar little by little. At the end sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch on top and fold in. Draw a circle on a parchment paper.  Gently spread the meringue inside making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center, you want a well to put the whipped cream and fruit. Bake for about 2 hour or until the meringue is dry and a pale golden color. Turn off the oven off,  leave the door slightly ajar and let the meringue cool in the oven

Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tbs powdered sugar

Cover the meringue with the whipped cream and then place some sliced strawberries and other berries on top. Serve immediately! Light airy and delicious!

And then she wanted to make her own birthday cake...

Nut crumble crust:
1 cup floor
1 cup toasted nut powder
1/2 cup butter
3 tbs powdered sugar
1/8 tea salt
1/2 tea vanilla
1/4 tea cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the other ingredients, finish by hand. Form a ball and place to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Draw a circle on a sheat of wax paper slightly bigger than the pan used for the chocolat melt down. Pat the chilled dough into a disk 1/4" thick with a rim around the edge. Bake for 15-20 min. Leave to cool in the oven left ajar.

Chocolat melt down:
4 eggs
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
200g chocolat
100g salted butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Beat the eggs with the sugar until they whiten. Melt the chocolat and the butter. Mix with the eggs and sugar. Pour into a pan in which you have placed a sheat of wax paper. Bake for 10-12 min until the center resists to touch. Stop the cooking by placing the pan in the freezer. Do not unmold before at least 1/2 an hour!

Praline killer crunch:
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tea baking soda
1 tea vanilla
1 cup toasted nut powder

Butter generously a cookie sheat. Toast and gind the nuts, spead out on the cookie sheat. Have the vanilla and soda ready. Bring the sugar, water and butter to a boil, do not stir. When the mixture reaches the soft-crack stage (140°C) remove from heat. Add the baking soda and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Immediately pour this mixture evenly over the nuts on your baking sheet.

Cream cheese frosting:
400g cream cheese, cold
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tea vanilla

Cream the butter and the cream cheese. Slowly add the sugar then the vanilla. Place in the frigde to chill.

The Stacking:
Place the chocolate melt down in the center of the nut crumble crust. Frost the chocolate layer leaving the cookie apparent. Cover the top with some crushed praline. Leave in the fridge until it's time to serve it.

This is one of the best cakes I've ever made! It was inspired by several recipes I love : mexican wedding cookies, carrot cake (and it's frosting!), almond rochas and a cake I discovered on the blog a Turtle in the Kitchen.

Easter muffins

Cream:
150g butter
2/3 sugar

Add:
3 eggs
1 tea vanilla extract
1 tea cinnamon
1/2 tea salt

Mix in little by little:
2/3 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oatmeal
1 packet of baking powder
1 cup applesauce

Mix in a seperate bowl:
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
100g melted chocolat

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Put one tablespoon of batter in each muffin hole add on top a teaspoon of the chocolat mixture then finish one more tablespoon of batter.
Bake for about 10min. Yields 12 muffins

12am Ooey-Gooey Custard Pie

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
3 tbs sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tea salt

Finger mix. Pat into a pie pan. Stick into the oven until golden. Set to cool.

Custard:
2 eggs
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs rice flour
1 tbs maïzena
2 cups milk
orange blossum essence
nutmeg

Set the milk to heat. Beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the flours. Slowly add a bit of the milk stiring continuously or else there will be lumps! Add the egg mixture to the rest of the milk in the pan when dilluted enough. Add the orange blossum essence to taste. Let the mixture thicken. Pour into the pie crust, set to cool.

Carmel:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
slivered almonds

Roast the almonds and spread on the pie. Heat the sugar and the water until the carmel is golden brown. Pour on top of the pie.
Let it cool and then enjoy.

Coconut Spice Cake

This cake was a special commission for my mother's birthday this year.

Preaheat the oven to 210°C.
Cream :
100g butter
1/3  cup brown sugar
1/3  cup white sugar (in which I store vanilla beans which flavors it)
1/3 cup honey
1 tea vanilla
2 eggs

Mix the dry ingrediants :
2 cup flour
1 package of baking powder
1/2 tea salt
1 tea cinnamon
1/4 tea cardamon
1/4 tea four spice
1 pinch of clove

Slowly mix the dry ingrediants into the the butter mixture.
Add:
2 cups applesauce
1 cup shreaded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnut

Bake for about 45min.
Let it cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar and shreaded coconut.